Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb has served Adat Shalom Reconstructionist
Congregation--a thriving serious progressive community of nearly 500
households in Bethesda, Maryland--for a decade, ever since his
ordination from Philadelphia's
Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Brandeis
University (1991) with a Doctorate of Ministry from Wesley Theological
Seminary (2009), he has previously worked at the Religious Action Center
of Reform Judaism, Conservative Camp Ramah in New England, CLAL (the
Center for Learning and Leadership) in New York, and a student pulpit in
St. Croix, USVI.Now a Past President of the Washington Board of Rabbis, Fred is also active in interfaith, social justice, environmental, and Reconstructionist movement leadership. He serves on the national boards of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life(/a) and Shalom Center and as Chair of Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light has written adult education curricula about Israel; and contributes regularly to Moment Magazine among other publications. He lives in Washington DC with his wife Minna Scherlinder Morse and their glorious children, Sara and Gilad Scherlinder.
Wedding (and other Life Cycle) Officiation
Rabbi Fred's Sermons and Scroll Articles
Hazzan Rachel
Anne Hersh has served as Adat Shalom's cantor since 1996. In addition
to a life-long love of music and singing,
she holds a bachelor's degree in music and masters' degrees in social
work and Judaic studies. Her cantorial training includes private study
with Hazzan Abraham Lubin. In 2002, she was invested by the Cantor's
Assembly. Hazzan Rachel is equally at home with Jewish folk music,
congregational melody, and classical hazzanut. She has been heard in
concert with both locally and nationally known musicians and is sought
after as a guest performer in concerts of Jewish music. She delights in
serving a spiritual community that is both lovingly devoted to Jewish
tradition and open to change and innovation Rachel lives with her
husband, Jonathan, and three sons Gabriel, Gideon and Koby, and can be
heard, when the children permit it, singing an occasional bedtime
lullaby.
Rabbi George Driesen, a founding Board Member of Adat Shalom, is currently
serving as its Adjunct Rabbi. George graduated from the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College in June 1999. He previously served as the Adjunct Rabbi
of Temple Isaiah (Reform) in Columbia, Maryland (2000-2003) and as Interim
Rabbi of the Columbia Jewish Congregation (Reconstructionist) in Columbia,
Maryland (1999-2000).
Rabbi Sid Schwarz is Adat Shalom's founding rabbi, serving the congregation for its
first eight years, from 1988-1996. He continues to provide spiritual leadership for Adat
Shalom in a variety of ways including leading services, teaching and giving a sermon on
the High Holydays. Sid founded and led PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership
and Values for 21 years, an organization that is dedicated to inspiring, training and
empowering the next generation of Jews to a life of leadership, activism and service.
Sid holds a Ph.D. in Jewish history and is the author of two groundbreaking books--
Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American
Synagogue and Judaism and Justice: The Jewish Passion to Repair the World. In 2002
Sid was awarded the prestigious Covenant Award for his pioneering work in the field of
Jewish education and in 2007 was named by Newsweek as one of the 50 most influential
rabbis in North America. Sid is currently a senior fellow at Clal: The National Jewish
Center for Learning and Leadership and the director of the Jewish Journey Project in
New York. Sid is married to Sandy Perlstein and they are the proud parents of Danny,
Joel and Jennifer.